I Want a Pet

Learning Intention:

I am learning about persuasive techniques and structure so that I can further develop my persuasive writing skills.

Success Criteria:

• I can identify persuasive techniques in a text
• I can come up with my own idea for a persuasive text
• I can use persuasive techniques to compose a persuasive text

Understanding text:

After reading the text, ask students if they feel that the author effectively persuaded them to adopt a ghost as a pet. Discuss what made the text so persuasive by analysing the author’s reasons, explanations and language and the way they used this to address any concerns that may be raised by parents. Start by asking students to recall the author’s reasons and examples and write their answers on the board. You should end up with a list similar to the following:

• Ghosts are cheap

• You don’t need to buy them
• They don’t need food or water
• They don’t need beds or cages
• They don’t need to go to the vet or kennel

• Ghosts are clean

• They won’t irritate allergies
• They don’t shed fur or feathers
• They won’t leave muddy footprints
• They don’t need sawdust, straw or pellets

• Ghosts are quiet

• They don’t meow, bark or chirp
• They won’t wake anyone up

Vocabulary:

Ask students to then identify examples of persuasive language techniques. Answers should include:

• Inclusive language – direct address (‘So you’ve been thinking of asking for a pet’)
• Repetition (‘Ghosts are…’)
• Rhetorical questions (‘Vet bills? Kennel bills?’)
• Alliteration (‘Ghosts never shed fur or leave feathers flying around’)
• Hyperbole (‘And you can throw away that broom’)
• Onomatopoeia (‘barking, meowing, chirping’)

Creating text:

Inform students that they will be composing their own persuasive text to convince their parents to adopt a spooky pet. The poem ‘On Halloween’ on page 13 may provide some ideas of creatures to choose or they may come up with their own.

Once they have decided on their spooky creature, they should start brainstorming reasons that they would make a good pet. that Ask them to consider arguments their family may have against getting a pet and consider how they can counter this with information about their creature.

To help students brainstorm, draw the table below on the board and model an example (such as the one shown), then ask students to come up with other arguments and counterarguments.

Somebody would need to be home during the day to look after it

Vampires are nocturnal and would be sleeping during daylight hours

They should then continue their own brainstorms in their books using their chosen creature. Explain that once this is completed and they have their ideas fleshed out, they should start composing their persuasive piece. Inform students they should use the magazine text as a template and include an engaging introduction to hook their readers, reasons as subheadings with examples elaborated on in each paragraph, and a brief conclusion. Remind students to incorporate persuasive language techniques, such as those used in the text.

Assessment for learning:

A persuasive marking rubricungroup is available on The School Magazine’s website to help guide students through their editing and self-assessment before submitting their completed persuasive texts to the teacher.